Monday, January 11, 2010

Sausage Variations

Sausage is versatile food product. You can eat it on the summer right off the grill or have it for breakfast on cold winter days. It's also flavorful with its' variety of meats and spices. If truth be told you can have every variety of sausage there is every day for a week and have any particular one twice.It's also easy to cook as well - a plus for beginners.

It's one of our oldest prepared meats having being made as early as 2,500 years ago. The name comes from the Middle English word sausige meaning salt. It was one of the first cured meats however it also included the precursors of our modern day cold cuts. Sausage was first mention in a Greek play of the same name and was also popular with Romans on feast days (so much so that the early church banned it) Smoked sausage was developed in Northern Europe to keep the meat good throughout the year while the Mediterranean countries developed dried or air cured sausage. As the international spice trade began and grew , spices were added to the meats to make them more delicious. Soon towns such as Bologna , Lyons and Berlin were lending their names to their famous creations. English towns and counties such as Berkshire, Wiltshire, Lincolnshire, and Cumberland also flourished in sausage making and their sausage.became known throughout the British Isles.

Nowadays there are several varieties of sausage. They're mostly made from ground pork however you can buy ones stuffed with chicken turkey and beef. Asians make and sell a seafood one in their outdoor stands. Sausages are often spiced usually with nutmeg, all spice or sage. Italian ones use fennel and garlic for a heartier , more robust flavor. Some have ginger as well and chili pepper for some kick and bite. If you're making your own you can have fun with spicing and try different combos.if you're making breakfast sausages stick with a light hand and maybe fresh ground pepper . However if you're making a heartier one then try out some dried onions , dill and garlic for a tastier type.

Sausages are a wonderful addition Io any meal. You can serve them with an omelet for breakfast or as a sandwich with peppers for lunch or for dinner. They're great in a hearty stew for winter or perfect for a barbecue grill in mid summer. Sausages are truly a versatile food.

No comments: